Molecular models for sustainable photocatalysis in water

Selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes is a central step in sustainable chemical synthesis, and driving it with visible light rather than fossil-derived oxidants is a long-standing goal. In a study just accepted in Chemical Science, the Streb Group reports a molecular titanium-polyoxotungstate cluster that photooxidises benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde under visible light in water. This highly unusual reactivity is due to pre-association of the cluster to the catalyst, followed by an intricate proton-coupled electron transfer at the cluster surface. The study contributes to SusInnoScience by developing water-based, light-driven routes to selective aldehyde production and by providing mechanistic insight to guide the rational design of next-generation photocatalysts. The study is part of the MPGC Focus Group “Sustainable Photochemistry & Photophysics” and was led by Paul Kadereit who is an MPGC Student Member.